Cotton-chopper.



R. B. MINER. OOTTON CHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED PEBA, 1910. Patented Mar.

III III I l I IIIIIW Ill UNITED srn'rps PATENT orrron.

ROBERT B. MINER, F GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 DAVID C. HUNTER, OF GUTHRIE, OKLAHOMA.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 14:, 1911.

Application filed February 4, 1910. Serial No. 542,017.

To (ill 1117mm it may concern;

Be it known that I, ROBERT B. MI ER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Guthrie, in the county of Logan and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Choppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton choppers, and it has for its objects to produce a machine of this class which shall possess superior advantages in pointof simplicity, durability and general efficiency.

lVith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention, the seats for the driver and operator having been removed. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on the planes indicated by the lines 33 and 44 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 6 6 in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 7-7 in Fig. 1.

Corresponding parts in the several views are denoted by like characters of reference.

A suitably constructed frame A is supported at its rear end upon an axle I having carrying wheels 2, 2, the front end of the frame being supported upon an axle 3 with which it is pivotally connected by means of a king bolt 4, said front axle being provided with carrying wheels 5, 5. A draft tongue 6 is connected with the front axle by means of prongs or braces 7. The frame is provided adjacent to its front end with a bracket 8 with which a downwardly extending yoke 9 is pivotally connected, the limbs of said yoke being pivotally connected with rearwardly extending beams 10 carrying blades 11 for barring off the row of plants. The beams 10 are connected together intermediate their ends by cross bars 12 and 13 and adjacent to their rear ends by means of a yoke B composed of two side members 14 which are connected together by means of a hinge 15, the links of said yoke being also connected by means of a bolt 16 having wing nuts 17 engaging opposite faces of one of the members 14: so that relative adjust- .ment of said members and of the barringoff members connected therewith may be had. The cross bar 12 is connected by, an upwardly extending rod 18 with a lever 19 fulcrumed upon the frame at 20, the free end of said. lever being adapted to engage a rack bar 21, whereby it and the parts connected therewith may be held at various adjustments. The connecting rod or link 18 extends at its lower end through the cross bar 12, it being provided with a head 22 engaging the underside of the cross bar, thus limiting the downward movement of the latter, while permitting the upward movement of said cross bar and of the beams con nected therewith against the tension of a spring 23 which is coiled upon the rod 18 between the cross bar 12 and a bracket 24 extending forwardly from a cross bar 25 which constitutes a part of the frame structure.

Pivotally mounted upon the cross bar is a lever 26 having a downwardly extending arm 27 which engages an aperture 28 in the cross bar 13. The lever 26 is provided at the ends thereof with offsets forming foot pieces'dn treadles 29 upon which the driver whose seat is shown at 30 may place his feet when the machine is in operation, thereby enabling him to rock the lever 26, and thus move the blade-carrying beams 10 to one side or the other, as may be necessitated during the progress of the machine in order to avoid injury to any of the plants in the row that is being operated upon.

A cross bar 31 which connects the side members of the frame A is connected with the rear bar 32 of said frame by means of a brace 33 upon which an angular bar or lever 34 is fulcrumed. The forward end of the lever 34 constitutes a pivot upon which the chopping lever 35 is fulcrumed, said chopping lever having at its upper end a handle 36 and said lever terminating at its lower end in a fork or arch 37, the limbs of which are equipped with chopping blades or knives 38. The rear end of the lever 34: constitutes a pedal 39 upon which the operator whose seat is located, as shown at 40, may place one of his feet for the purpose of elevating the chopping lever carried at the front end of the angular lever 3 k, a rack bar 41 being provided by engagement with which the adjustin" lever 3a may be retained at various ad ust'1nents.

The operation and advantages of this in vention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. 'The driver who occupies the seat 30 is in control of the barring-off blades carried by the beams 10 which latter, bein connected as herein described, may be deflected to either side by operating the foot lever 26 having the downwardly extending arm 27 which engages the aperture 28 in the cross bar 13 connecting the blade-carrying beams and which latter, being connected with the swiveled yoke 9, are capable of such move 'nent,-

as may be desired. The barring-off blade may likewise be raised or de ressed by means of the hand lever 19 which may be set or adjusted before the starting of the machine, and the barring-off blades will yield upwardly against the tension of the spring 23 to any obstructions that may be encountered. In the meantime the operator who occupies the seat 40 may by controlling the lever 34 elevate or depress the choppercarrying lever, as may be needed, said chopper-carrying lever being normally swung to one side, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so that one of the blades 38 will be in a position to engage the rowof growing plants which will be uprooted by said blade and deflected to one side. VVhenever it is desired to leave a stand, the chopper-carrying lever is oscillated and the plant passing through the yoke or arch 37 carrying the blades will be left uninjured, while the blade 38 which was previously in an elevated and non-operative position will now be left in position to engage and uproot the plants and to deflect the same to the opposite side of the row. By oscillating the lever 35 at proper intervals, the row of plants will be effectually chopped and stands will be left wherever desired. a

It is obvious that this machine may be utilized for the purpose of chopping out corn, beets and other plants besides cotton; the construction is simple, and the device is thoroughly effective for the purpose for which it is provided. It is also evident that the chopping device, constructed and arranged for operation as herein described, properly demands the presence of the barring-off blades to prepare the row for operation by the chopping device, which latter while of a highly effective construction, is of such a nature as to be insufficient except in connection with the barring-off blades which prepares the row to be operated upon efficiently by this peculiar chopping device.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a machine of the characterdescribed, a frame having rotary supporting means, an angular foot lever fulcrumed longitudinally upon said frame for movement in a vertical plane, means for securing said foot lev'er at various adjustments, a chopping lever supported pivotally upon one end of the foot lever for movement in an approximately vertical plane at right. angles to said foot lever, said chopping lever terminating at its lower end in a fork having side members, and chopping blades connected with the side members of the fork. V

2-. In a machine 'of the character described, a carrying frame having rotary supporting means. a foot lever fulc'rumed longitudinally upon the frame, a chopping lever fulcru'med upon the foot lever for oscillation transversely of the frame and having at its lower end a fork provided with side members, and turning blades connected with the side members of the fork and adapted to be alternately presented in engagement with the row of plants to be operated upon.

3. In a machine of the character described, a carrying frame having rotary supporting means and including side members, a rear bar, a cross bar and a longitudinal brace connecting the rear bar with the cross bar, an angular foot lever fulcrumed upon the longitudinal brace for limited movement in a vertical plane, a chopping lever fulcrumed upon the foot lever for oscillation transversely of the frame and having at its lower end a fork provided with side members, and turning blades connected with the side members of the fork and adapted to be alternately presented inengagement with the row of plants that is being operated upon.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT B. MINER.

\Vitnesses I. S. Knssrnn, J. N. CURL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

